Major General Frank Osokogu (rtd), the father of Cynthia Osokogu, who was brutally killed in Lagos, spoke with Crime Features on the lesson of his daughter’s death...
When did you get to know of her death?
As of the time were looking for her, no ransom had been demanded by anybody. So, we cannot quite place what the motive was. My younger brother in Lagos had already seen the corpse in the mortuary and they had confirmed that no part of the body was missing. So, we could not link it to ritual. That was why I said that her death is incomprehensible as of now. It is a big shock and loss to the family.
As of the time were looking for her, no ransom had been demanded by anybody. So, we cannot quite place what the motive was. My younger brother in Lagos had already seen the corpse in the mortuary and they had confirmed that no part of the body was missing. So, we could not link it to ritual. That was why I said that her death is incomprehensible as of now. It is a big shock and loss to the family.
How will you described her?
She was a nice girl, full of promise. She has been doing very well and was disciplined. She graduated from the university at about the age of 21 and I was very pleased with that. When she finished her university, I asked her to go for her Masters degree instead of looking for a job that was not forthcoming.
She was a nice girl, full of promise. She has been doing very well and was disciplined. She graduated from the university at about the age of 21 and I was very pleased with that. When she finished her university, I asked her to go for her Masters degree instead of looking for a job that was not forthcoming.
Can you recollect your last encounter with her?
I saw her about a month ago, I went to her school and met her, I gave her some money and her laptop which she forgot when she came to Jos. I did not discuss anything with her, I simply told her that I brought the laptop and left the school. She said she was writing her examination.So, I urged her to let me know when her exam was over. That was all. There was nothing to talk about.
I saw her about a month ago, I went to her school and met her, I gave her some money and her laptop which she forgot when she came to Jos. I did not discuss anything with her, I simply told her that I brought the laptop and left the school. She said she was writing her examination.So, I urged her to let me know when her exam was over. That was all. There was nothing to talk about.
How did you feel when you were looking for her?
I got to know that she was missing about one week after. The reason for that was that she visited her friend in Abuja, left her car there and told them she was going to Lagos to buy some things.It was when the friend did not see her on the day she promised to return that they started looking for any of the family members. They got in touch with me and said my daughter had travelled and that they had not been able to get in touch with her, I told them to come over to my house and they came.So, I asked them to go and make statement to the police. From there, the search started.That was about the first day of August.
I got to know that she was missing about one week after. The reason for that was that she visited her friend in Abuja, left her car there and told them she was going to Lagos to buy some things.It was when the friend did not see her on the day she promised to return that they started looking for any of the family members. They got in touch with me and said my daughter had travelled and that they had not been able to get in touch with her, I told them to come over to my house and they came.So, I asked them to go and make statement to the police. From there, the search started.That was about the first day of August.
What was her upbringing like?
She was a disciplined girl.She was the only girl I had any way and had not been playing pranks. All what I knew was that she was a good girl. I have three sons and Cynthia, who happened to have been last child of the family.
She was a disciplined girl.She was the only girl I had any way and had not been playing pranks. All what I knew was that she was a good girl. I have three sons and Cynthia, who happened to have been last child of the family.
How have you been coping since her demise?
She was very dear to me. It is a very difficult situation, but when something like this happens, what do you do? Those that were apprehended concerning her death are under arrest. My brother went to Lagos and saw them.
What will be your advice on the use of social media, especially by the young ones in Nigeria and all over the world ?
Even though I have lost my daughter, her death might be a lesson for other people. I believe it is stupid for somebody to travel and meet friends that he or she had not known because you have been chatting with them on social media network. I strongly believe, that adventure is just too much and risky. You should know people before you begin to visit them.Every other person, especially students have a big lesson to learn from this.
Even though I have lost my daughter, her death might be a lesson for other people. I believe it is stupid for somebody to travel and meet friends that he or she had not known because you have been chatting with them on social media network. I strongly believe, that adventure is just too much and risky. You should know people before you begin to visit them.Every other person, especially students have a big lesson to learn from this.
I want to thank people that have been calling since this incident happened for their support and solidarity for the family.
She Had Everything Going For Her — Mother
How did you see this incident and what kind of person was Cynthia to you?
She was very intelligent and very wonderful. She attended Command Secondary School; had university education before proceeding to the Nasarawa State University for post-graduate diploma in Public Administration.While in 300 level, she said her ambition was to go into business after her university education. My first son gave her money to operate a boutique christened, ‘Dress Code’ in Keffi in Nasarawa state.
She was very intelligent and very wonderful. She attended Command Secondary School; had university education before proceeding to the Nasarawa State University for post-graduate diploma in Public Administration.While in 300 level, she said her ambition was to go into business after her university education. My first son gave her money to operate a boutique christened, ‘Dress Code’ in Keffi in Nasarawa state.
When she finished her university, my daughter opted to do her NYSC in Jos instead of Abuja because she wanted to stay with me. When she finished, she was Miss NYSC for batch B 2010. Early this year, she got a job with MTN here in Jos, but because the salary was not good enough, she left the work and got admission into Nasarawa State University for the post-graduate Diploma in Public Administration. She wanted to visit me, but she could not because it was theday Senator Gynag Dantong was killed and the road, was not safe for anybody to travel.So, she stayed back in Keffi.
On Sunday, August 22, she called to tell me that she had arrived Lagos to collect some good that had just arrived from oversea and promised to visit me immediately she arrived from Lagos. So, when she did not call me on the day she was supposed to arrive, I called her on the phone, but it wasn’t going. At that point, I called my husband who lives in Abuja and my senior son to intimate them of what was happening.
So, I went to the Police to complain. But when we called her number it was going saying that she would call back, so we ran to the police and told them everything. They also told the police that they could not speak with Cynthia because she was in the hospital, not until after two weeks they now told me that I should not bother to call again that she had been killed.
And the first hospital they told me she was initially taken was a fake hospital, Symbol Hospital, Benin. I told them that you people said we should send N20 million, but the account number they sent to me was fake. They told me they had killed her.It was after this that I declared her missing.
So this Monday, the Area Commander of Police in Festac Town, Lagos called me that I should come to Lagos immediately in connection with Cynthia’s case before them, that MTN had given us clue that the people that killed her were calling within Festac Town.
My daughter was a wonderful girl; she was not the type that lived a reckless life.
What is your message for those apprehended by the police?
I fear God so much; vengeance is for God, I fasted and prayed for those three weeks that she was missing. I did n’t have any premonition about her death, but anytime I saw my daughter, I would say ‘you are too fast little girl of 24, you have everything in life.’ Daddy bought a new car for her when she graduated. She took part in Miss Nigeria 2010 and was one of the runners up. I said I want you to marry; she promised that she would bring her fiancée to me this month. I didn’t know she would die.
I fear God so much; vengeance is for God, I fasted and prayed for those three weeks that she was missing. I did n’t have any premonition about her death, but anytime I saw my daughter, I would say ‘you are too fast little girl of 24, you have everything in life.’ Daddy bought a new car for her when she graduated. She took part in Miss Nigeria 2010 and was one of the runners up. I said I want you to marry; she promised that she would bring her fiancée to me this month. I didn’t know she would die.
My Madam Was Everything To Me - Sales Girl
How old are you and how did you meet your Madam?
I am 21 years old. I have been with her for more than three years. I am a sales girls in the boutique she owned in Keffi, Nasarawa State known as Dress Code Connection.
She was so wonderful to me in all areas of my life. Despite the fact that it had not been long that I knew her, she took me as a biological sister. She took me like her own blood sister.
I came to know her after my secondary school when I was looking for a job. I approached her at her boutique. Initially, she pretended as if she was not the owner of the outfit, but later called me back and introduced herself as the owner.
Since then, I have been working with her. Her death is a blow because I don't know where to start from.She was too good to me, I will miss her dearly.
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